THE THING WITH SORROW - The Umbrella Academy

The Third Day

It was the third day after Sir Reginald Hargreeves funeral and Zero had woken up just an hour before midday, after waking up halfway through the morning to take Bolt for a much needed walk around the block. She had knocked back out again after they got back, and upon waking up and checking the time, surmised that she should probably get up and take a shower.

Just as she was feeding her dog and then making some half buttered toast despite not feeling that hungry, someone began knocking on her front door, much to her chagrin.

But it wasn't a normal knock. It was a constant and persistent annoyance that made pain flare in the front of her skull.

She pinched the bridge between her nose and exhaled slowly, taking one last bite of toast before throwing it back onto the plate and storming over to the hallway.

"KNOCK LIKE A NORMAL PERSON, ASSHOLE!" She yelled with a mouthful of food, grabbing the door handle and yanking it open. "Im not fucking deaf-"

Her words died on her lips when she saw who was at the door, face apologetic.

"Vanya?" She asks, confused. What was her meek sister doing pounding on her door like that? The events of the last few days and the behaviour of her siblings was growing more to be a dumbfounding pain in her ass.

"Hey, I'm sorry for just showing up out of the blue," she tucked her hair behind her ears anxiously, looking down and fiddling with her hands. "But, uh, Klaus told me to come."

"No, its..." Zero didnt know what to say anymore. It wasn't that she was happy with Vanya being there, quite the contrary. Ze loved Vanya and they were friends, it just so happened that they had naturally drifted apart while dealing with their own lives and adulthood. "Just a surprise, is all. Come in."

She let Vanya inside and led her to the living room where she expected her to take a seat but she chose to remain standing, looking like she wanted to say something but was holding back. Zero watched her carefully.

Bolt came pounding into the room in a bundle of glee at a new person in the apartment and ran straight over to Vanya, who's eyes widened a little. She had seen him when he was a puppy but he'd grown in the five years she'd had him.

Vanya bent down to pet him, unable to resist the fluffball. "Im sorry for this, really. I would have called you beforehand but..."

She trailed off and Zero chewed the inside of her cheek. She crossed her arms and leant back against the wall, tilting her head tiredly. "You guys are driving my anxiety through the fucking roof and I'm sorry for not responding but I can't keep putting myself through this type of stress for menial things. If this is about the funeral-"

"-it's not." She straightened herself and left Bolt, much to his dismay. He circled and sat himself between the two women, glancing between them as though he was listening to the actual conversation. "Uh, look, Klaus kind of sent me to come and get you."

"Why couldn't he come and get me himself? He's the only other one who knows where I live." She inquired, rubbing her eyebrow tiredly.

Vanya scratched her arm and shrugged. "He said he was busy. But, uh- the thing is, you really need to come back to the academy."

Zero examined Vanya's expression, finding her eyebrows drawn together slightly in a troubled type of way. She was nervous, almost anticipating something but she had no idea what. And there was definitely something she wasnt telling her.

Zero narrowed her eyes and shook her head, looking off to the side. "Sorry, but its not happening. Last time I was there..."

The memory was painful.